Which bottle did you just buy and why?

Picked up a Cragganmore 12 yesterday. Is it just me, or is it similar to the Dalwhinnie 15?

@GoHabs I haven't had either one of those for several years, but my recollection is that they have a similar flavour profile with the Dalwhinnie showing a slightly more honeyed characteristic.

@BlueNote That is an accurate description. I also pick up a little smoke on the Cragganmore.

@GoHabs, I find both to be fairly similar. I have read some sources that state that cragganmore is very lightly peated < 8ppm.

To my taste buds threre is definitely a kind of sulphury dark note to it, the finish is rather short though. I kept reminding of JW black in some ways, I wonder if this is a component of that.

I had absolutely no intention of buying anything yesterday, I was just browsing in the liquor store. As soon as I saw the Ardbeg Ten in the Tin it was all over. So much for resolve. Turns out I'm a weak willed, spineless, pathetic, single-celled escapee from a petri dish. But, as @MadSingleMalt pointed out on another thread: that tin is pretty damn cool.

@BlueNote - ha ha! I think I speak for on many here when I say: Picture ... picture ... picture!!

I just receive my last purchase. Compass Box Spice Tree, Compass Box Flaming Heart 15 th anniversary, Springbank 15 and Glendronach 18 and all of them were shipped by Post with Canada Post services. Incroyable!

@Robert99 Incroyable c'est sur. Where was it shipped from?

@Robert99 I believe you still have one bottle that you are still waiting for.

@BlueNote From Alberta. If you want more details write to me personally.

@Nozinan I know my friend, I know.

@Robert99 you'll have to let us know what you think of the Glendronach 18? I've been considering a purchase but have been put off by the mixed reviews.

@Wierdo I will but it may take time as I have too many bottles opened and want to finish afew before opening that one.

@paddockjudge I am glad that you did find an old Lot 40. The last one I have seen at the SAQ was about three months before you asked me about.. Good catch.

Spent the day in Ottawa recently and beyond museum visits, I helped the Orleans LCBO free themselves of some of their burden of Lot 40 CS. I also picked up a bottle of Wiser's Legacy and Four Roses single cask.

No joy from the BTAC lottery but reviews of the Elijah Craig Barrel Proof 12 year old C917 at 131 proof may just put a on my face.

@fiddich1980, every bottle of Elijah Craig Barrel Proof is a reason to rejoice. Congratulations!

@fiddich1980 A very "low proof" ECBP. I wonder if they are dumping the casks younger...

I see now that it's back and in short supply at the KGBO. That they can sell it for almost double the price in the US is infuriating.

@Nozinan C917 at 131 proof is higher compared to the previous 2 releases A117 at 127 proof and B517 at 124.2 proof. I would not know cask wise char number or toasting wise. However, the label has a 12 year age statement. This is my first Elijah Craig at barrel proof and most likely my only Bourbon purchase for the year. I have a number of unopened bottle which I'm planning on opening up this year. My experience with bourbon(by ranking are) EC12, Weller12, 4RSB, ER10, Blanton's Original, and WFR.

Regarding price: yes it is expensive, unfortunately this has been an ongoing trend everywhere. I've seen those BTAC bottles last year in Sydney Australia listing at over a thousand AUD. Thankfully, I have bunkered stuff from years back. At one time I gave away old bottle to my relatives. Now their malt monsters. One is a Macallan fan boy and the other a Lagavulin/Yamazaki nut. The third fell into Absinthe. I've been putting some serious thought into things which I plan to open this year. A Glenfarclas vertical collected over years to share with friends/family, an old Signatory Benrinnes which I was suppose to open a couple of years back for clearing my mortgage, a Black Art 4.1 that I got for 250CAD. I'm bunkering down. I don't plan to stop buying but, buying in a discriminating manner. The perspective of producers, sellers and flippers, it's a business for profit. Besides, consumption of spirits is an experience, subjective an - intangible.

@fiddich1980: "I'm bunkering down"

Ha! I love it. Hunkering down with your bunker. I wish I had thought of that one!

OG114--because I found it :) Wonderful stuff. The best of the "bourbony" flavors.I'm enjoying it more than the Lot 40 I recently finished, and I like Lot 40 a lot.

@Jonathan You can't compare Lot 40 and OGD114...2 separate beasts.

I find OGD tastes better than some bourbons 4 times its price.

@fiddich1980 I would gladly help you "bunkering down" if you want to get rid of a few Yamazaki at a reasonable price. Just saying.

@Robert99 as stated in the post. The "Lagavulin/Yamazaki nut", (which was caused through my influencing) is a relative. My own possession of Japanese Whisky is meager. I'm not a seller about the only thing I've done is swap sampled with friends. The relative obtained the OB Yamazaki in Japan while on vacation, years ago. The irony is when he inquired about 'the sherry cask Yamazaki?" on the distillery tour. He was told "only available England and Europe". It took him another 6 months later while vacationing in England to get the Sherry Yamazaki.

@Victor Nice one, $98 eh, although PHC releases do not see the shelf at the LCBO the last one to not see the shelf here went for $399.00. We pay dearly here for Heaven Hill products, more so than most other brands.

@Victor I just realized I responded to a 3 year old post. I blame it on the Glendronach cask strength I just finished.

@Astroke, even in the days when I could get some BTAC whiskeys in my county back in 2011, we almost never saw the Parkers Heritage Collection editions here. That one, the 8th Edition 13 yo Wheat Whiskey was a fluke situation. Both the fact that it happened at all and that it was $ 98 plus tax reflected that this acquisition occurred 3 years ago, probably early 2015 or late 2014. I haven't opened that bottle yet.

Back in 2010 until about 2012 I did see some PHC bottles on some shelves in the USA, like in Binny's of Chicago. Somewhere around that time they disappeared almost everywhere and became fully pre-reserved, about the same time, viz. third quarter 2012, when Van Winkle and BTAC graphs of prices turned vertical. I think that at that time some group of very well-heeled individuals world-wide decided to buy up all of the scarcest whiskey products world-wide.

I am certain that you have been enjoying your Glendronach Cask Strength! As well you should.

Talisker 18 & 57 North - Technically gifts. The 18 seems right up my alley from what i gather about its profile and it's always scoring well in reviews - sometimes outstanding!

The 57 was a good deal and a gamble I hope to not be regretting. Connosrs seem to think it was a bargain at the price offered. (@Odysseusunbound - I'm not trying to rub it in, honest! It's purely con-incidence )

@RianC I'm jealous on both counts there. Enjoy!

@RianC, why do you seem so convinced that you may regret being given Talisker 57 Degrees North? I'll be happy to take that unwanted highly suspect bottle off of your hands. You'll have to hold it until I can send an international businessman over to your place to pick it up and hand-carry it back across the Atlantic to me, however. My first bottle of 57 N was hand-carried to me in that manner.

That's what you need to do, too, @OdysseusUnbound, get an international traveler to bring you back a bottle of 57 N from the UK. Sometimes you just need to make friends with the right people to make the plan work out.

Was eyeing this one for a week or so, $127 CDN for a 21 year Sherry cask cask strength seemed like a no brainer.